Moscow, Feb 26 (IANS/RIA Novosti) At least 17 Amur tigers died in Russia’s far eastern territories over the past year, most of them due to human action, wildlife experts said.

Another eight big cats were saved from death by environmental officials and activists, the Primorye region-based Phoenix Fund said. Most of the animals were cubs orphaned by hunters.

The statistics were based on media reports about tiger-related incidents.

A list of such incidents released by the fund indicated the toll could have been as high as 25, if unconfirmed deaths were factored in that were supported by circumstantial evidence, such as abandoned cubs.

“The losses may be irreversible, given how they deplete the (species’) gene pool,” wrote Sergei Bereznyuk, head of Phoenix, on the fund’s website.

Phoenix was founded in 2006 and is running its own tiger and leopard conservation efforts.

The sight of a wild tiger is a life-changing experience. But to make wildlife tourism a truly meaningful support for conservation, it is vital that the communities living around reserves become the first beneficiaries of tourism income.